A plunge in cryptocurrency assets accelerated Friday morning, led by bitcoin, which has lost more than a third of its value since setting an all-time high in October.

Why it matters: The bloodbath has left no corner of the market untouched, and is reviving the debate about crypto as a long-term asset.

By the numbers: Bitcoin fell as low as $81,919 early Friday, per CoinGecko data, off more than 10% in 24 hours to the lowest levels since April. • In early October the original cryptocurrency set a record when it broke $126,000 for the first time. • Bloomberg reported the coin is on track for its worst month since June 2022, which was a catastrophic period for the industry.

Zoom out: It's not just bitcoin, though — virtually all coins are plunging amid the sell-off. • Over the last w

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